ISL Match Result: Punjab FC beat Kerala Blasters 1-0; Dimitrios Diamantakos seals win from spot

Add as a preferred source on Google

ISL Match Result: Kerala Blasters went level at the top of the Indian Super League 2023-24 table with a 1-0 win over Punjab FC at the Jawaharlal Nehru Stadium in New Delhi on Thursday (December 14). Dimitrios Diamantakos scored the solitary goal of the match from the spot in the 51st minute.

Following a draw and a defeat in their previous two games, Kerala Blasters FC secured three points with a strong defensive effort and the successful execution of a penalty kick by Diamantakos, who scored his fifth goal of the season. This was also their first clean sheet in ten games in ISL.

Punjab FC got started quickly and remained active throughout. The Blasters seemed to have started the season cautiously as they got used to playing without captain Adrian Luna for a short while.

As a result, the home team bravely took a chance, and in the first half, Madih Talal, Krishnananda Singh, and Nikhil Prabhu all had good chances to break the tie. One such move included Prabhu and Talal linking up, and the defender taking the shot from the middle of the 18-yard box but wasting it because of a cross from the latter.

The Punjab FC midfield's best player tonight was Mohammed Aimen. He and Kwame Peprah had teamed up just before the half, with the 22-year-old putting the striker through a pass that went wide.

However, in the 50th minute, Aimen managed to go inside the box and draw a foul, which allowed Dimitrios Diamantakos to score the ensuing penalty kick. It was up to Diamantakos to make this opportunity matter with Luna out due to injury. The Greek striker scored a goal in the center of the net, exceeding expectations.

Wilmar Jordan Gil, a former attacker for NorthEast United FC, came off the bench to give Punjab FC a glimpse of hope with a promising shot inside the box. The Tuskers secured a crucial victory thanks to a well-organized backline from the visitors.